This blog is devoted to my John Welsford designed 15' Navigator yawl Ellie. I built her in my garage over a period of 18 months and launched her in 2011. She sports a sliding gunter main, roller furled jib and sprit-boomed mizzen. Her construction is glued-lapstrake over permanent bulkheads and stringers. This blog is a record of her construction and her voyages here in the Puget Sound area and (hopefully) a useful resource for fellow Navigator builders.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

A New Navigator in Germany

Congratulations to Dietmar Edelmann of Viernheim, Germany, on the sucessful completion of his beautiful new Navigator.

The project took 18 months to complete, which seems to be about the average timeframe for the typical family guy with a day job.

Dietmar built his Navigator in a small, single car garage measuring only 18' x 9' (5.5 x 2.7 meters).  Building a Navigator in a small shop like this has been done many times before, but I still find it remarkable every time I see it.

How'd he do it?  Look closely at Dietmar's building jig and you can see how his clever use of locking casters enable him to roll the project out to his driveway for some relaxing and fulfilling woodworking in the fresh air and sunshine.  And adjust the height of the jig too.







Dietmar purchased his sails and rigging from Duckworks, and he says he found my rigging examples helpful.


Dietmar spends his holidays at Lakes Chiemsee, Bodensee and Ostsee in Germany.  Beautiful sailing destinations to be sure.

Sailing a modern classic like Navigator is but one of this electrical machine builder's notable interests.  When he's not sailing you may find him and his wife enjoying themselves in this Western Cub.


Or you may find him enjoying his other modern classics.  These are his 18th and 19th century replicas of old American rifles.  He builds and shoots them himself.


Well done, Dietmar!  I wish you many, many years of smooth sailing aboard your beautiful new Navigator.